How to say "spread" in Japanese

• 塗るぬるJLPT N4approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbCovers 'spread' only in the physical sense of applying a substance — cream, paint, plaster — onto a surface with a hand or tool; it is not about areas or information growing larger.
  ジョンがドアにペンキを塗ぬっていた。↗

  John has been painting the door.
• 広がるひろがるJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbIntransitive: the subject itself spreads out, extends or stretches across space — a view stretching to the horizon, a city or fire spreading outward. Nothing performs the action on it.
  うわさは四方しほう八方はっぽうに広ひろがった。↗

  The rumor spread far and wide.
• 伝わるつたわるJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbThis is the 'spread' of news, rumours and information as they travel and circulate from person to person; it also covers a feeling or meaning being conveyed, getting across to someone.
• 広げるひろげるJLPT N2approx.Common
  ichidan verb, transitive verbTransitive: someone spreads something out or makes it larger — a map or cloth spread flat, a business or knowledge expanded. It pairs with 広がる, which describes the same spreading happening by itself.
• 広めるひろめるJLPT N2approx.Common
  ichidan verb, transitive verbTransitive and deliberate: to spread something among people so that it becomes widely known or used — an idea, a teaching, a new practice. 'Popularize' and 'disseminate' capture the nuance better than physical spreading.
  彼かれらはキリストの福音ふくいんを全ぜん世界せかいに広ひろめた。↗

  They spread the Gospel all over the world.

Choose 「塗る」 for spreading a substance on a surface, 「広がる」 or 「広げる」 for spatial spread (intransitive and transitive), 「伝わる」 for news and rumours circulating, and 「広める」 for deliberately spreading ideas among people.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 塗るぬるto paint
• 広がるひろがるto spread (out)
• 伝わるつたわるto spread (of a rumour, news, etc.)
• 広げるひろげるto spread
• 広めるひろめるto spread
• 広まるひろまるto spread
• 蔓延まんえんspread (e.g. of a disease)
• 広がりひろがりspread
• 波及はきゅうspread
• 普及ふきゅうdiffusion
• 浸透しんとうpermeation (of thought, ideology, culture, etc.)
• にじむto run (of liquid)
• ばらまくto scatter
• 伝播でんぱtransmission
• 燃え広がるもえひろがるto spread (of flames)
• 燃え移るもえうつるto spread (of fire)
• 広まりひろまりspread
• スプレッドspread
• 撒き散らすまきちらすto scatter
• 言いふらすいいふらすto spread (e.g. a rumor)
• 塗り広げるぬりひろげるto spread
• 瀰漫びまんspread
• 弘通ぐずうspread (of Buddhist teachings)
• 押し広めるおしひろめるto spread
• 言い散らすいいちらすto spread (a report)
• 言い囃すいいはやすto spread (e.g. a rumour)
• おっぴろげるto spread
• 伝搬でんぱんtransmission
• 知れ渡るしれわたるto become widely known
• 値鞘ねざやmargin
• 染み渡るしみわたるto penetrate
• 散布度さんぷどirrelevance
• 散布量さんぷりょうirrelevance
• 広袤こうぼうarea
• うつすto infect (someone)
• のすto stretch
• 見開きみひらき(two-page) spread
• 張るはるto stretch
• 伸びるのびるto spread (of paint, cream, etc.)
• うつるto spread (of a fire, smell, etc.)
• のりspread (of paints)
• 拡大かくだいescalation
• 這うはうto trail (of vines, flowers, etc.)
• 散らすちらすto disperse
• さやmargin (between two prices)
• 転移てんいmetastasis
• かけるto put on (e.g. a blanket)
• はびこるto spread
• 敷物しきものspread
• 裾野すそのrange
• 博するはくするto spread (one's name, etc.)
• ばらつきdispersion
• 浸潤しんじゅんspread (of a political ideology, etc.)
• 言い伝えるいいつたえるto spread (a rumor, news, etc.)
• 博すはくすto spread (one's name, etc.)
• のび(ability to) spread (of paint, cream, etc.)
• 立つたつto spread (of a rumour, reputation, etc.)
• 回るまわるto spread
• 飛ばすとばすto spread (e.g. a rumour)
• 敷くしくto spread (e.g. snow)
• 流れるながれるto sweep (e.g. rumour, fire)
• 触れるふれるto proclaim
• 流すながすto circulate (a rumour, information, etc.)
• うつすto infect (someone)
• 散るちるto spread